Post on 13-Jul-2020
Positive Psychology@Work
Meaningful or Masquerade?
Dr Suzy Green
Founder, The Positivity Institute
www.thepositivityinstitute.com.au
info@thepositivityinstitute.com.au
APPLIED POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
the
OSITIVITY
INSTITUTE
About PI…
www.thepositivityinstitute.com.au
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Mental Health Spectrum(Well-being Institute, University of Cambridge, 2011)
Positive Psychology
15 years on….
Mythbusting!
It’s NOT…
It’s NOT…
It’s NOT…
It is about…
Well-Being
It is about…
Strengths
It is about…
Resilience
It is about…
Making a Difference!
It’s Positive Education
It’s Positive Health
It’s Positive Ageing
It’s Positive Communities
Positive Public Policy?
“The future calls us to measure and
then make policy around well-being
rather than just around money. This
measurement will be part of our gift
to our prosperity”
Dr Martin Seligman
Flourish (2011)
AND
Positive Workplaces!
Wealth & Well-Being
People & Profits
Feeling Good & Functioning Well!
Positive Psychology@Work
Why?
Because we spend a third of our lives at work!
Why?
• Mental health prevention/promotion
• Languishing & Presenteeism
• Engagement
• Productivity
Why?
• Positive Emotions Broaden Mindsets
• Positive Emotions improve Immune Functioning
• Strengths Knowledge & Use increase Goal
Attainment, Energy and Productivity
• Positive Relationships improve Well-Being & Create
Positive Emotional Climates
• High Hope predicts a wide range of positive
outcomes!
Current State of Play…
• Fragmented Literature - No integrated synthesis
• Broad theoretical support ie B&B, Hope Theory
• Research on constructs relevant to organisations eg
resilience, psycap, mental toughness, gratitude,
compassion, positive teamwork, positive leadership
• Uptake of micro-interventions eg PsyCap, MTT
• Some pioneering strategic applications ie Knox
Grammar, Loreto Kirribilli, Lion
Where to from here?
Next Steps?
Create a Common Understanding
Select the Early
Adopters
Create Pockets of Success
Share Stories Across
Boundaries
Adjust Across Boundaries
Source: Mroz & Quinn, 2010
Conclusions!
• Tens of billions of dollars are spent worldwide every year on employee training, but often the long-term ROI remains questionable.
• A recent study found that a single training session on the principles of positive psychology was shown to improve the overall well-being, energy and stress management skills of 250 managers (Achor. 2011).
Conclusions!
• Do your Homework;
• Read More - “The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology & Work” by Linley, Harrington & Garcea or “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor;
• Engage Experts – Not Snake Oil Salespeople!
A final note…
If the nature of work is properly appreciated and applied, it will
stand in the same relation to the higher faculties as food is to
the physical body.
It nourishes and enlivens the higher man and urges him to
produce the best he is capable of.
It directs his free will along the proper course and disciplines
the animal in him into progressive channels.
It furnishes an excellent background for man to display his
scale of values and develop his personality.
J C Kumarappa
Thank You!
info@thepositivityinstitute.com.au